


The Sun's Promise

by celestialspoon



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Redemption
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2020-10-30 06:34:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20810147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celestialspoon/pseuds/celestialspoon
Summary: Varian is thrown in prison shortly after his defeat at the hand of Rapunzel and the black rocks. While he attempts to escape in order to free his father and get revenge on those who have wronged him, King Frederic and Queen Arianna try to follow up on their promise to help Varian abandon his rage and resentment. But, wounds like his aren't easily healed, and he has a long way to go before he can return to the light.





	1. The Window

The guards abruptly shove Varian into a dingy cell, slamming the door and locking it before he even has the chance to turn around. As they retreat, confident in their capture, Varian catches his balance and immediately presses against the bars, shaking as he tries to pry them apart and yelling to be released as he glares down the hall, but it’s no use. The guards are immune to the ruckus he is making and leave to make their rounds, chattering amongst themselves as if this were only routine. The bars remain unaffected as well, much to Varian’s dismay, though he supposes this was to be expected. He turns away, scowling, intent on finding some other way to escape.

He scans his surroundings, a dark box bordered by cold stone bricks, seeming to close in on him from all sides. It smells musty, and there is an air of grim acceptance about the whole place. It almost reminds him of his lab after the black rocks took over. If only it were. If he were back there, instead of trapped in this abhorred cell, he would be able to keep investigating the black rocks and find a way to free his father from his amber prison. A lump grows in his throat at the memory of that painful day, but he stifles it and instead turns his sadness into desperate determination. He has to get out of here, no matter what.

Varian glances to his left and right, where there are two cots, each held up close to the wall by thick, black chains. Despite there being two of them, he doesn’t seem to have a cellmate. He isn’t surprised. He is the most dangerous criminal in Corona, after all. 

This thought rings bitterly in his mind and resentment towards the unjust kingdom builds within him, but he pushes it aside as he continues to take everything in. He doesn’t have time to focus on his anger right now. Instead he turns his attention to the floor, where a small, rusted grate sits. He experiences a brief optimism, thinking this is his chance, but it quickly fades as he realizes that he wouldn’t be able to pry it open without tools, assuming he could even fit through it to begin with.

Ruddiger scampers around, brushing up inquisitively against the walls, trying to find a way out as well. This shocks Varian somewhat. He’d thought Ruddiger had run off when he was forced into the cell. Through he feels bad knowing that Ruddiger has given up his freedom to stay with him, he is secretly comforted. At least he won’t have to go through this ordeal alone.

Varian picks Ruddiger up and places him on the cot, which sinks a little under his weight. “Thank you, Ruddiger,” he murmurs, stroking his back as he bends down to speak to him. “Let’s find an escape route together, shall we?” As he turns back toward the walls, he feels a beam of warmth land on his face, and he searches for its source for a moment before realizing that he’s been ignoring the obvious, silently chastising himself for not noticing it sooner. Straight across from him is a window with a near perfect view of the afternoon sun, the bars across it the only thing between Varian and freedom. The star glows bright in the sky, delicately kissing the clouds as birds fly past. It all feels so close, almost blinding… If only he could break through the bars, then he could climb out into the sunlight and return to his father. They’ll be happy and together again, eventually, once he figures everything out. He can do this.

Drunk on a newfound hope, Varian tentatively walks toward this portal to what no longer seems like such a distant world. He grips the bars, testing their resilience, and they seem to vibrate slightly. There’s a chance for escape yet. He smiles confidently as he pulls harder, but it’s like the bars have suddenly hardened just to spite him, refusing to budge. He grows frantic as the light fades behind a cloud, now tugging aggressively and straining with all his might, but, despite every effort, he’s not strong enough. He never was.

Varian sinks to the floor, his arms limp and his eyes beginning to water. He’s let down his father yet again, and his frustration knows no limit. He cannot let himself fail this time, not with so much on the line. He’ll think of something, surely…

He hears a cough behind him and whirls around, scrambling to his feet. He can’t let anyone see him weak like that. “What?!” he bites, glaring at whomever had thought now a good time to interrupt him.  
Standing smugly before him is King Frederic, the tyrannical ruler who ignored the black rocks and allowed Varian and his father to suffer with nobody to turn to.

“Typical of a coward,” Varian snarls, “It looks like you’re too afraid to face me without bars between us, your majesty.” He speaks those last two words with a tangible venom.

Frederic’s eye twitches. Good. Varian hopes to make the king as uncomfortable as possible.

But Frederic sighs and ignores him, instead replying with sympathy, “I’m here to help you, Varian.”

So now Corona thinks he’s worthy of their time? “I don’t want your help.” His voice hardens, and his face shifts into a resolute, wintry scowl. 

This appears to touch a nerve. “Even if you don’t want it, you must accept that you’ve done things that need to be—”

“I’ve done nothing wrong!” Varian snaps, incensed, lunging at the bars, though as he says this his heart constricts. “When I get out of here, I’ll show you all what I’m capable of. All of Corona will see how they’ve wronged me, and they’ll beg for my forgiveness.”

Frederic’s calm demeanor finally breaks, and he no longer addresses Varian with patience. “Listen, Varian. I’ve put up with you, despite how poorly you treat me, because Rapunzel believes there’s still good in you. But you cannot threaten my kingdom like this, do you understand?”

Varian refuses to so much as nod in agreement, too overcome by unadulterated resentment sparked by the mention of the princess. “Where is she, anyway? Too far off in her own little world to bother checking on me, just like how she neglected me for weeks after I begged her for help?!”

“She’s preparing to go on her own journey. Her life doesn’t have to revolve around you, Varian. And she isn’t ready to face you, not after what you did. You’ve hurt her too.” Frederic’s eyes flash defensively, and Varian can feel the cold accusation in his voice.

“It’s nothing compared to what she’s done to me.”

Frederic stays silent this time, but he glowers at Varian, seething with rage as he storms off.

Varian collapses from exhaustion once Frederic is out of sight. His face is sore from being scrunched up, and his throat feels hoarse from yelling. Truth be told, he isn’t sure if he could really pull off punishing an entire kingdom, no matter how much he wants to, but he’s been maintaining the bravado to keep them afraid. At least this way they’ll take him seriously and stop trying to interfere with his plans.

It’s then that he notices Ruddiger cowering under the cot. He supposes he did go a bit overboard; he never meant to terrify his companion, too. “Shh… Ruddiger, it’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you,” he whispers. Ruddiger, however, remains ensconced in his shadowed shelter, looking concernedly up at Varian.

“I’m not going to hurt the entire kingdom, either, I just wanted the king to go away, that’s all.”

The lie boils inside him, but it works. Ruddiger emerges slowly from his hiding place, climbing over Varian’s legs and nestling himself in his lap. He paws at Varian’s arm reassuringly, and Varian cracks a strained smile. 

Wistful, he turns his attention back up to the window and the sky beyond, dreaming of one day being out there again. The sun begins to set, creating a breathtaking blend of soft blues and yellows, sweetly caressing the world in a tantalizing promise of what’s waiting for him outside. Varian stands up, sighing, and picks up a small rock off the floor. He walks over to the wall, turning over the rough, sharp stone in his hand, and he carves a thin line to serve as a reminder that each day he remains locked away in prison is another failure. He won’t let himself lose sight of his goal. No matter how many more marks he has to make, he will escape and see the sun.


	2. Chapter 2

There are now five tallies on the wall, and still no progress has been made. Even so, birds chirp outside the prison walls, jovial as they bask in the warm beginnings of dawn. The illuminated kingdom is coming to life once again, with the citizens of Corona starting to mill about the streets, greeting each other with cheer as they begin a normal day. 

All this noise wakes Varian, who rubs his bloodshot eyes, wincing. Though it’s been days, he still isn’t used to the stiff pillow and flat mattress of this sorry excuse for a bed. Despite his sore back’s protests, he sits up and stretches, the cot creaking loudly below him, and looks up at the window. He gazes forlornly at the ethereal sunrise, whose meager daylight is already flooding the room. It’s then that he realizes: he’d fallen asleep again. Varian hunches over, disappointed in himself, and smacks himself hard on the forehead, slapping himself into alertness. He can’t afford to sleep, not with so much at stake. Every second spent unconscious is a second not spent figuring out how to escape. He gets up and yawns, ready for this day to be the day he breaks free. He begins to rack his brain for a solution, pacing around the cell like the guards outside and muttering to himself.

Ruddiger stirs at the foot of the cot and opens his eyes, chittering sleepily at Varian, who stops his pacing and sits down beside him. He pats his legs, gesturing for Ruddiger to sit in his lap. Ruddiger obliges, and Varian pets his head, ruffling his fur as Ruddiger purrs and looks up at him.

“At least you’re with me, Ruddiger…” Varian smiles at him, his steely blue eyes meeting Ruddiger’s shiny emerald ones. “Since everyone else turned against me, you’re the only one who’s stayed by my side… thank you so much.” His voice starts to break as he buries his face in Ruddiger’s back, clutching at little clumps of fur, yearning for the soft, warm comfort of his coat to remind him of home. He inhales sharply, and though the rank of the dirty raccoon makes him gag a little, he is consoled by the underlying familiar smell of Old Corona. He will be back there someday, safe in the arms of his father. His father, alive and well and moving… 

He snaps back into reality, aware of the filtered light reflecting off the impenetrable walls, of the bars keeping him trapped and restrained, of the distant clinking of chains as a new criminal is brought in by the guards. No matter how badly he wants to imagine that he is happy in Old Corona, his thoughts are still overwhelmed by the harsh truth of his situation. He can’t let himself get distracted by useless fantasies, not when such things are unattainable unless he focuses on escape.

Exhaling resignedly, Varian composes himself, ready to resume his routine of walking around the cell and mumbling until an idea strikes him. He glances at Ruddiger to tell him that he needs to get off so he can think, whistling to get his attention, but Ruddiger doesn’t meet his gaze, instead averting his eyes to the floor and brushing his tail against the bed anxiously. “Ruddiger?” Varian laughs nervously. “What’s wrong?”  
Ruddiger makes no response other than turning his head even further away from Varian. 

“You’re my friend, Ruddiger. We trust each other, We’ve stayed loyal to each other despite everything that’s happened… if something’s bothering you, don’t worry, I’ll fix it,” he reassures.

At the mention of loyalty, Ruddiger starts whimpering. 

“Is this about what happened with the king? I never meant to hurt you!”

Ruddiger presses his face against Varian’s thigh and shakes his head.

“You mean you did something?” 

Though he poses the question innocently, Ruddiger’s entire body freezes, the hairs on his back standing up in dread. Varian recognizes this; it’s exactly how he used to react whenever his father caught him in a lie.

“What do you mean? What could you possibly have-”

And it’s like a dam breaks open in his mind, all the memories and different pieces flooding back into his head. He had wondered how the king and queen had been able to escape from their constraints… at the time he had seen Ruddiger scurry off towards where he kept the neutralizing particle out of the corner of his eye, but he’d been too distracted by the drill to think much of it. But now… it all makes sense. Ruddiger had betrayed him and freed the king and queen.

Varian immediately recoils, pushing Ruddiger roughly off his lap. “How could you?” He backs away towards the other side of the cell, the hurt in his voice palpable. To think that he’d been showering this traitor with affection all this time! Ruddiger steps cautiously towards him and rubs against Varian’s legs, attempting to show some semblance of loyalty, but this is lost on Varian. He can’t believe that Ruddiger thinks he can just act cute and Varian will forgive him after what he’s done! He tears his leg away, leaving Ruddiger crying on the ground. A twinge of regret and sympathy for this pitiful creature passes through him, but he buries it beneath his growing rage.

“Get away from me,” he says, as cold and unfeeling as the dungeon walls. The ice in his voice pierces Ruddiger’s heart, and the raccoon slinks towards one of the beds, trembling and crying as he curls into a tight ball. Varian stiffens and turns away, refusing to acknowledge Ruddiger’s pathetic display. Ruddiger is just like the others, persuading him to trust them and form a bond before breaking it the instant they’re asked to put his desires above their own. He should’ve known better than to assume an animal would be any different.

He sits down on the opposite cot and stares at the wall, trying to maintain his composure and deny the extent of his heartbreak, telling himself that it doesn’t matter if nobody’s by his side. That it doesn’t change what he has to do. He’ll escape and survive like he always has, accomplishing his goals by himself even though nobody believes in him. He’ll show everyone that he is capable, that they should have given him the benefit of the doubt, that they shouldn’t have abandoned him in his darkest hour, when he needed them the most… 

And then he breaks. No matter how badly he tries to convince himself that he doesn’t need Ruddiger, he knows that his time in prison will be unbearable if he’s left alone with his thoughts without a companion to comfort him, without anyone who cares even remotely about his well-being. Why can’t he just have one person by his side? He shakes, letting hot, silent tears streak down his cheeks, completely and utterly alone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Days have passed since Varian found out about Ruddiger’s treachery. He gives him the silent treatment, refusing to meet his eyes. This way, pretending like he doesn’t exist, is far less painful than having to confront the reality of yet another betrayal and look his former friend in the eyes as he screams his heart out. Other than his newly hardened heart and crushing loneliness, nothing about his daily routine has changed. He still spends all his time pacing and thinking and begging for one of his brilliant ideas to come. He still marks another jagged tally in the wall every time the sun sets, and he still pushes himself to stay up late every night before inevitably falling asleep and waking up to the morning sun with ever-growing bags under his eyes.

He berates himself for expecting his situation to change when he does the same exact things every day, but what else can he do? All he has to work with is his own mind; it seems as if even the king has forgotten about his existence as well, as if he were little more than a petty thief. He’s glad the king isn’t there to distract him from focusing on his escape, but at this point he’d almost welcome his audience. No matter how much he loathes the royal family, any attention, anything to show that he’s important in some way, would be encouragement enough to keep him from falling into despair as he has been of late. All he needs is for someone to care.

In his desperation, he rushes to the bars of the prison door and screams, demanding to see the king, but nobody answers, except for a few fellow prisoners who shout at him to be quiet or chuckle at his childish outburst. A guard stoically marches by his cell, unperturbed. Varian tries to call out to the guard to wait; even if he can’t talk to the king, a chat with one of the guards would be worth something. But, as he opens his mouth, his stomach suddenly seizes up and waves of nausea pass through his body. He doubles over in agony, his vision beginning to turn white. Grimacing, the pain too great for him to even cry, he forces himself to stand up. Instantly he starts keeling over, woozy and tired and barely able to see. He knows he’ll faint any second, so he makes his way dizzily over to one of the cots, each step leaving his abdomen howling, barely managing to haul himself on top of it before passing out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ruddiger hears the thud above his head and yelps in surprise. He hadn’t thought Varian would be using this bed anytime soon, not when it’s in such close proximity to his hiding place. Though he is afraid that all he’ll see is those cold, angry eyes flicking towards him before quickly averting to a wall, Ruddiger emerges anyway, curious about Varian’s sudden closeness. Could it be possible that Varian’s forgiven him? Knowing Varian, it’s not likely, but Ruddiger can’t help but hope. He looks up at Varian, chittering excitedly, but he is shocked to see him curled up in a fetal position, not even wearing his usual scowl. His grin falls as he realizes that something’s very wrong. He jumps onto the cot and scrambles over Varian’s legs to reach his face, which is scrunched up in pain. Ruddiger anxiously pats Varian’s cheek, and the boy lets out a soft groan but doesn’t wake up. Fighting a growing panic, he slaps him harder this time, but Varian only whimpers and hugs his stomach more tightly. Ruddiger watches helplessly as Varian starts sweating and shivering, his breathing becoming more and more ragged. He needs treatment, fast.

There’s really only one thing Ruddiger can do: call for help. He runs over to the door and clambers frantically up the bars, screeching at the top of his lungs. He shrieks and shrieks, desperate for someone to notice and save his suffering friend. Even if the boy refuses to so much as look at him, Varian’s all Ruddiger has. Losing him would be a blow so devastating that not even all the healing magic in the world would be able to repair his heart. 

His screams become more and more piercing as he reaches a full-on panic. Still no one has shown up to whisk Varian away to safety. What if no one ever does? He has to keep fighting, keep clinging to that hope that he can reach someone. He’s Varian’s only chance. He can’t let himself fail, not now when he has everything to lose. So he continues, inching closer to unadulterated despair with every passing second, until… 

“Will someone shut that vermin up?” a prisoner bellows.

Finally he hears the guards come running, but still Ruddiger doesn’t stop. Not until they see what’s wrong and help his friend.

It’s now that Varian comes to, still in insufferable agony. He weakly opens his eyes, and through fluttering eyelids and white spots he sees Ruddiger clutching the bars of the door, caterwauling and distraughtly looking back at him as guards gather around the entrance to the cell.

Ruddiger bounds over to him, followed closely by a guard. Even through his delirium he notices Ruddiger gesture towards him and mime his stomach pains. The guard still appears confused and puts a hand on Varian’s shoulder, shaking him lightly. Varian curls up as he’s wracked by another excruciating spasm; it feels as though he’s being flung across the entire kingdom. He lets out a strained cry, internally begging to fall asleep again, anything to stop the pain.

Now the guard realizes that he’s in trouble. “Stan!” he calls in a slightly nasal tone, “Tell the royal physician to prepare for a new patient! He’s injured, or sick, or something… I’ll carry him up to the infirmary!” 

Varian’s stomach aches as he’s picked up, his head lolling back and his eyes rolling into the back of his head. Sweet darkness takes him once again.

Before the guards close the door, Ruddiger leaps out, still concerned for the boy but filled to the brim with joy. He won’t be forced to watch powerlessly as Varian perishes alone. He’ll be able to see Varian well and happy again someday, now that he has another chance. Because of him, Varian will be saved. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Varian awakens among the downy pillows and blankets of a comfortable bed, confused by the sudden brightness of his surroundings. He tries to discern where he is, but the light is too blinding for his unadjusted eyes. He rolls over, turning his face into the cool darkness of his pillow, and becomes aware of the heavy lump on his legs. He reaches over towards them, curious, and his fingers meet the familiar thick fur of Ruddiger’s tail. Starting to emerge from his stupor, he recalls the events of the previous day, how he had collapsed on the cot after sudden pangs in his stomach, how he had woken to Ruddiger shrieking until guards came to attend to him, how one of the guards had knelt by his side before picking him up. He’d thought he’d been hallucinating at the time, but he realizes now that Ruddiger really was the reason that he got help. That Ruddiger had seen his pain and been determined to rescue him. 

Ruddiger actually does still care about him. 

Varian smiles at the raccoon, who woozily opens his eyes. They snap open in fear as Ruddiger sees Varian staring at him but quickly relax when he notices Varian’s soft expression.

“Hey… you came through for me after all,” he says, raising his arms for Ruddiger to crawl between them. Once he does, Varian wraps his arms tightly around Ruddiger, holding him as close to his chest as he can. “I’m so sorry for getting mad at you; you’re my closest friend and I don’t know how I ever could’ve doubted your loyalty to me.”

He sighs, “I still don’t understand why you let them go… but at least you didn’t try to stop me from freeing my dad.”

Ruddiger looks down and frowns, disappointed that Varian hasn’t yet realized the wrongfulness of his lust for revenge. Still, he’s happy that Varian’s forgiven him, and he can’t help but feel affection for the boy. He purrs as he nestles deeper into Varian’s arms, which envelop him in warmth.

“I mean… it’s not your fault that my dad got encased” he says, though it’s barely audible.

Ruddiger is surprised that Varian would admit this. He chitters sympathetically, raising his paw to caress Varian’s face. The boy laughs. It’s hollow, but at least it’s something, especially considering all he’s been through.

Still cuddling Ruddiger, Varian begins to get used to the light. A beautiful chandelier hangs above him, gold glistening and reflecting sunlight all over the pale purple walls. Ugh. The colors of Corona.

Longing to look at something less detestable, he turns to the side, and the king and queen are standing there, gazing at him with weary eyes. Even worse. He turns away angrily. He may have made up with Ruddiger, but he certainly is far from forgiving the royal family after everything they’ve done to hurt him.

He shuts his eyes tightly. Though the bed here is significantly more comfortable than his cell’s, he wants nothing more than to be back there and out of this sickening room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And chapter two is out! I hope you enjoy!  
I'm glad he's been redeemed in canon and they handled it pretty well but it still felt a bit rushed to me and I would've liked to see him actually get help while in prison so...

**Author's Note:**

> It's baby's first fanfic! I hope you enjoyed!  
I've already finished the first three chapters so the other two should come out fairly soon! Expect longer breaks between the rest though  
Also, Chapter One is pretty short but the others are longer so don't worry!
> 
> I was kind of disappointed with the lack of Varian in Season Two so this my take on what could've happened while the rest of the gang was off on their adventure.


End file.
